Positional Statement

Those who know me best know that I really do not fit the general classification criteria of any religious group. A very few of my closest friends and family know that I was raised in a fellowship of people that distanced themselves during the late 1940s through the early to mid 1960 from the denomination that they were a part of previously.

Specifically it was a small fellowship scattered across the United States and in a number of locations in other countries that broke away from the Church of God that bases itself in Anderson, Indiana.

The reasons were many and not essential to this blog entry.

That fellowship had problems not only in recognizing other groups that would be a part of their worship, gatherings and pulpit exchange, but also in agreement on what the fellowship would recognize as, in their words, “truth.”

The fellowship has incurred a number of new associations as well as splits that I am personally aware of, and no doubt some of which I know nothing.

In 1986, after having been raised from a child in this fellowship, which by the way continues to refer to itself as “The Church of God,” being married to a woman with nearly identical circumstances in a like fellowship church, having stayed in the fellowship ourselves through two moves, three children and three fellowship churches, we began attending a First Church of God which was and is a participating member of the Anderson, Indiana Church of God denomination.

After worshipping, teaching, preaching and serving in a number of roles there I left in early 2002 due to difficult personal reasons and began attending a Nazarene Church which I am very much at home with and under a pastor that continually challenges my Christian walk not only with his lessons and sermons, but also by his life.

I must comment that after worshipping and participating in a number of ministries at this Nazarene church I am very convinced that they have a better understanding of personal Christian commitment, missions, and community outreach, both locally and “globally” than the churches I have known before.

All of that to explain that I do not personally represent the fundamental doctrines of any of the three church groups that I have attended. I am most aligned with the Nazarene doctrine, but with four very distinctive differences.

The first and most important to me is the doctrine of Original Sin. I do not believe it or support it. If you want to see a very concise synopsis of how I view sin check read A.T. Overstreet’s thesis here: http://www.gospeltruth.net/menbornsinners/mbsindex.htm

And, by the way, the works of Charles G. Finney are worth your time as well.

The second difference of belief is in the popular Christian’s view of creation. I believe the story in Genesis, but only as a very thin overview of the process. I am convinced of the continual process of evolution and space expansion. Neither is discussed in the Genesis story because they were not known.

My third difference which to me is not worth argument is eschatology. I believe that man will disappear from the earth in the not too distance future, a few hundred to perhaps thousands of years, but that the earth will continue to exist with life for perhaps millions of years.

And my last difference is sin in heaven, as in the doctrine of a rebellious angel being banished from heaven for rebellion. I have not researched this line of thinking enough to even discuss it, but it strikes me as fully implausible. I also don’t render it worth time or breath to research or discuss.

None of this said for your benefit, but for my own as a statement of position. I hope none of it influences you, because it is not intended to be of influence.

March

Time marches on, regardless of whether we make good use of it or not. Lot's of things going on around here at our place. Georgiann fell on an icy step a couple of weeks ago going to her car to leave for work. She called me at work and I came home and went to the ER with her. She broke her wrist in several pieces and had to have it pinned back together. So she is in a cast as you can see here. She is feeling most bummed out about now.



I need to take and post some pictures of the bathroom and my office, but I still need a few pieces of trim put up.

Todd had his right ankle worked on the same day Georgiann fell on the ice and he is still on crutches. They had to take out chips, and spurs, and reattach things. I don't know what all. But it all came about because of abuse playing sports.

Diana continues to feel pretty good carrying her little one. We are anxious to have a third grandchild. Can't decide which would be more fun, another granddaughter or a grandson. But either way we'll do our best to spoil him or her.

I have been watching the hits on my blog and have some very interesting places that are checking in. I'd love to hear from some of you. Especially why you stopped by. My email address is bwcatlett@comcast.net. Here is the latest log:


Location Time
, Brazil Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:50:07 -0500
Louisville, KY, United States Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:47:42 -0500
Afton, VA, United States Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:08:14 -0500
Fishersville, VA, United States Mon, 17 Mar 2008 08:56:50 -0500
Shipman, VA, United States Mon, 17 Mar 2008 08:52:27 -0500
, , United States Mon, 17 Mar 2008 08:49:53 -0500
Tulsa, OK, United States Mon, 17 Mar 2008 07:48:37 -0500
, Hungary Mon, 17 Mar 2008 07:40:10 -0500
Fort Walton Beach, FL, United States Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:31:57 -0500
Fishersville, VA, United States Sun, 16 Mar 2008 20:08:35 -0500
Herndon, VA, United States Sun, 16 Mar 2008 18:20:30 -0500
Akrar, Iceland Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:20:55 -0500

Stay tuned!!